I was recommended El Charro in Carlsbad, NM by some locals, and I'm so glad I listened…read more I'm a big fan of quesabirria and have been on a little quesabirria journey, and this has to be one of the top two best quesabirria tacos I've ever had. The taco was crispy and filled with delicious meat, and the consommé was rich and flavorful. If I hadn't been on the road, I probably would have ordered another one. The portion was generous, and the price was fair too. The service was quick, and the overall dining environment was bright and clean. Definitely a great local recommendation and a spot I'd happily come back to.

Ordered takeout and my husband said the whole experience went well…read more We ordered a few different tacos, but have a couple picky eaters, so they were able to separate the meats and toppings for us. We got carnitas, pastor, brisket, steak, and ground beef. (The pastor was my favorite! It came with pineapple. My husband's favorite was the carnitas.) Everything was hot and pretty tasty. The meal came with 4 sauces-- orange (spiciest), watery orange, watery green (my favorite), and the creamy green (least spicy.) After reading some reviews about slow service, I was a little apprehensive about ordering, but my husband went during lunch and said everything came out quickly, there was just a line to order. All in all, I'd definitely eat here again.

Carniceria San Juan de Los Lagos in Carlsbad, NM has to be some of the best Mexican food I've ever…read morehad! I usually have a rule when traveling that I don't visit the same restaurant more than once, but this place was the exception. I came back three times in two days. Yes, it was that good. Sadly, the third time I came back, they were closed. The food tasted very authentic and absolutely worth the visit. I noticed some reviews mentioned communication issues or that the staff may not speak much English. I had a little bit of that struggle too, but honestly, that's how you know you might be in the right place for truly authentic Mexican food. I also felt like it was partly my fault for not doing enough research before ordering. But we figured it out, and the food was more than worth it. One small suggestion: it would be helpful if the menu had a little more English explanation, pictures, or item numbers to make ordering easier for both customers and staff. Overall, this is the kind of true hidden gem you hope to find in a small town. I would definitely take a detour to come back here whenever I'm in the area again.

Carnicería San Juan de los Lagos - Worth the Detour, Even Years Later…read more Some places stay with you. So much so that five years later, on a completely different road trip, you find yourself checking the map and thinking... "we're kind of close." Back in 2021, while exploring nearby national parks, we stumbled across Carnicería San Juan de los Lagos and loved it. This time, on our way to White Sands National Park, we made a small detour to see if it still held up. First surprise... I barely recognized the area. What used to feel like the middle of nowhere has filled in. Suburban life has arrived. Growth happened. But the place? Still there. Still good. Inside, it keeps that same warm, easy charm. Cute wood, farm-style Mexican decor, nothing fancy, just welcoming. The space has grown too, now clearly divided into restaurant, carnicería, and panadería, which means more reasons to linger. And the smell when you walk in? That alone could convince you to stay. Service was just as we remembered, sweet, friendly, and genuine. The kind that makes you feel like a regular even if you've been gone for five years. We went with pozole and shrimp tacos, and both delivered. Flavorful, comforting, exactly what we were hoping for. It's always a bit of a gamble revisiting a place you loved years ago. This one paid off. Still a favorite. Still worth the stop.

Ribs were dry and tasted funny, brisket had too much fat, tasted okay, very peppery. The pinto…read morebeans had so much salt in them I felt like I was being pranked, couldn't even eat then the salt burned my lips. Honestly pissed me off I want my money back. The mashed potatoes didnt even come with gravy it was sad af. Fuck this place.

The guy told me he had the best steak fingers in town. I don't think he was lying. THEY WERE SO…read moreGOOD!

This was some of the best Mexican food I ever had. My brother and I were driving cross-country from…read moreNew Jersey to Los Angeles, and this was one of our favorite meals during the entire trip. Maria was incredibly kind, and the food came out quickly. I got the Chiles Rellenos burrito and loved every bite. Plus the side salsa was delicious too. I highly recommend coming to Maria's Mexican Food truck!

Stayed in Carlsbad on a Tuesday night during my trip to the Caverns and needed to find a place to…read moreeat at that was open past 9pm. Boy was I glad I chose Maria's. It's a food truck stand with a few picnic tables in front and a full bathroom to the side. When I arrived around 10pm, besides the group leaving, my party was the only one there. There's also another food truck serving Mexican food in that same area. I ordered the carne asada burrito and it was so gooood! The meat had so much flavor and wasn't chewy. There isn't any rice in the burrito which I'm not used to, but given the plentiful meat portions, I was still very full. The salsa in the container was also delicious, even asked for extra. It's spicy though (gave me acid reflux haha). Highly recommend going to Maria's if you're craving Mexican food!! There are times where I want to drive back three hours just for that burrito again

Easy to access food truck. Speedy service and they were…read moreaccommodating, as I asked for my horchata to be less sweet (not a fan of overly sweet drinks). My horchata was perfect and tasted homemade (not sure if it was?), and the tapioca was really yummy too! My fiancé really liked his mango drink! Again, it wasn't overly sweet and tasted really fresh - almost like an agua fresca (: We came here randomly/unexpectedly and so glad we did! We would definitely go back if we weren't from out of town. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a sweet but refreshing drink!

Nice workers. Good pancakes, and prices. A lot of drink options. Good for late night optionread more

My husband and I shared: - Steak Quesadilla…read more- Chicharron en Verde Burrito - Barbacoa Torta - Carnitas Taco Plate My favorite thing was definitely the burrito. I also enjoyed the torta. I thought the tacos were a bit dry and the quesadilla was a bit plain, but it wasn't bad.

Food was super yummy. Great flavor. The staff was super nice. Also was very clean. We will be back…read moreagain for sure.

We stayed at the Airbnb at this location. The breakfast burritos were excellent. Easily one of the…read morebest we have had! You can tell that Justin has been in the food business for a long time!

Food and owner is the bomb,you really get a lot of great food for the money,try it!!!!read more

This fun little spot in Carlsbad is one you won't want to miss. With delicious Louisana offerings,…read moreyou can't go wrong with some fried popcorn shrimp or their catfish. The helpings are generously sized for the price. All fish and seafood is brought in fresh every couple of weeks. Brian, the owner, was very professional and kind. For a first time experience, I was impressed and will definitely be back. My kiddos said next time we need to try the gator bites!

From the owner: Fresh Louisiana seafood straight off the boat to you. New special everyday!read more